Robert Bosch Teams with Startup Mojio to Connect Vehicles Wirelessly

German auto supplier Robert Bosch GmbH is teaming with Canadian startup Mojio to get more vehicles connected wirelessly to a wide range of digital services, from insurance companies to emergency responders, the companies said on Wednesday

Bosch said it was investing in Vancouver-based Mojio as part of the startup’s Series B funding round. The amount of the investment was not disclosed.

Mojio, which was founded in 2012 and has raised more than $40 million, previously has secured investments from Amazon and Deutsche Telekom, as well as from AOL founder Steve Case.

Bosch and Mojio aim to connect more vehicles to the internet and gather data to support services for consumers and vehicle manufacturers, as part of Bosch’s Connected Mobility Solutions group.

The initial focus of that effort is on vehicle communication, diagnostics and crash detection and notification, according to group director Kevin Mull

“By getting access to an incredible amount of (vehicle) data, including very accurate crash detection data with Bosch, we should be able to save lives and make the insurance claims process more effective,” said Mojio Chief Executive Officer Kenny Hawk.

Mull said insurance companies will be able to determine the severity of the crash from data provided by the vehicle, and handle some claims remotely rather than sending out an adjuster.

The partners aim to connect consumers with Bosch call centers as well as first responders in the event of a crash.

Hawk said the companies also are looking at other related services in the future, including “the ability to open doors and trunks for package delivery.”

Mojio develops mobile apps for consumers and provides big-data analytics to corporate clients. The company said it has gathered real-world data from more than 7 billion miles of driving from subscribers to network services from Deutsche Telekom in Europe and T-Mobile in North America.

(Reporting by Nick Carey and Paul Lienert in Detroit; Editing by Marguerita Choy)